NUMBERS WANTED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22510, 13 December 1947, Page 3

NUMBERS WANTED

RURAL HOUSE NEEDS FUTURE DISCUSSED COMMISSION’S INTEREST Special discussions on rural housing have been held between Federated Farmers and the Sheep Industry Commission. Various housing plans previously put forward by the federation were discussed and documentary evidence presented detailing the steps taken by the federation. The Commission showed particular interest in the proposals for the building of State rental houses in rural areas and the federation was asked to have details of numbers of houses and suitable locations presented to it while on tour throughout the Dominion next year. This the federation’s representatives agreed to do and provinces are being circulated accordingly. The last approaches to the Government on this matter were made by a deputation to the Prime Minister. Mr. P. Fraser, and the Minister of Works, Mr. R. Semple, following the annual Dominion conference of the federation in July. Then the federation asked that absolute priority of 10 per cent, of the total available materials for private building, exclusive of rehabilitation building, should be given rural housing construction. Last month a detailed reply was received from the Minister of Works in which the Government recommended that the federation should make use of existing legislation providing for assistance to farmers for improving or increasing housing accommodation. It was suggested that county councils should be urged to operate the scheme provided in the Rural Housing Act, 1939, whereby money could be made available through the State Advances Corporation. County Guarantees The federation has promised to guarantee the rental of State houses built in rural areas for farm workers, but the Minister suggested that such guarantees should be given by county councils rather than branches of Federated Farmers. He felt that a satisfactory arrangement could be negotiated between the federation and the counties’ -association. If that were done then application for the construction of dwellings would be received and reported on by the councils, passed to the State Advances Corporation for consideration and, if approved, construction put in hand by the housing division. Some form of representative committee, the minister proposed, could be set up on each county to determine the allocation of tenancies. The federation circularised provincial executives on November 14. asking them (1) to communicate with the county councils in their provinces and secure the councils’ views on the suitability of the Rural Housing Act, 1939, for increasing rural housing; (2) whether or not councils’ would be prepared to guarantee rentals for farm workers in their areas living in State houses, and (3) that branches should submit information regarding number, size and allocation of houses required in their areas. The third point is the one on which information is particularly required by the Sheep Industry Commission. It wants to know the numbers of State rental houses required in rural areas and the particular location of them. The information should be given to it in evidence as it visits the various provinces next year